Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

149. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport what action his Department is taking to address the increase in road deaths over the past five years, with the exception of 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2151/24]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

150. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport what action his Department is taking to address road safety challenges nationally and to reduce death and injuries of road users, pedestrians and cyclists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2152/24]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

151. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport what action his Department is taking to address road safety challenges in Cork, in view that Cork in most instances is in the top two counties for most road traffic fatalities in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2153/24]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

152. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport what action his Department is taking to prioritise the safety of road users and if consideration would be given to increased road policing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2154/24]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 149 to 152, inclusive, together.

Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has responsibility for the promotion of public awareness campaigns and for the advancement of education specific to the safe use of roads. I have therefore referred part of the Deputy's question specific to Cork to the RSA for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response is not received within 10 days.

The current framework for road safety is set out in the Government’s fifth Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030. Road safety partners and experts are working closely to deliver the Strategy which has the ambitious target of reducing road deaths and serious injuries by 50% by 2030, and to achieve Vision Zero on Irish roads by 2050.

My Department, the Road Safety Authority, An Garda Siochana and other road safety partners are very concerned with the rising fatalities and serious injuries on our roads and consequently, certain actions in Phase 1 action plan were reprioritised for accelerated delivery. Key milestones include the signing into law of the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 in June, the publication of the National Cycling Manual and the Speed Limit Review, both in September.

The second annual review of the Road Safety Strategy will take place this month and will allow road safety partners to review progress in the context of reversing the trend in fatalities and delivering Phase 1 of the Strategy 2021-2024.

Complementing the Strategy, the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 was signed into law in June and the Road Traffic Bill 2023 was approved for publication by Government in December. The latter Bill is a concise and focused piece of legislation aimed at addressing road safety issues in a number of key areas, including introducing safer default speed limits on national secondary roads, rural roads and in built up areas, introducing mandatory drug testing at the scene of serious traffic collisions, and reforming the penalty points system so motorists receive multiple sets of penalty points where multiple offences are committed.

Furthermore, and in response to the rising trend in fatalities through 2023, last October my Department conveyed sanction for the Road Safety Authority to spend €5.6m on increased public awareness campaigns in the latter part of 2023 and beginning 2024 and on commencing a review of the driver testing curriculum to ensure learners are appropriately equipped to deal with issues they might encounter on the roads.

Road traffic legislation is enforced by An Garda Síochána and enforcement is therefore an operational matter for the Garda Commissioner, under the aegis of the Department of Justice.